Improvement



D. G. HADLEY.

Luck fur Fire-Arms.

NO 161117. Patented March 23,1875.

I" \D a THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOT0 -LlTH.39&.4-1 PARK PLAGEJLY- DANA Cr.

HADLEY, OF BETHLEHEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IMPROVEMENT IN LQCKS FR FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 8.611.,1117, datedMarch 23, 1875; application filed February 17, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANA G. HADLEY, of Bethlehem, Grafton County, NewHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Arms, of which the followin g is a specification:

My invention relates to safety-dcvices for locking the hammer or cook ofa fire-arm in such a way that there will be no danger of the cook orhammer being accidentally lifted away from, and then released, so as tofall forcibly upon the cap or cartridge.

To this end I make use of a locking-lever, one end of which bearsnormally against the periphery of the hub of the hammer or cook, and isprovided with a locking-hook or projection, extending from the lever ina direction opposite to that in which the mainspring tends to revolvethe hammer; and with the locking-lever thus arranged, I combine one ormore notches in the periphery of the hub of the hammer, each formed onthe side opposite that in the direction of which the hammer revolveswhen descending, with an undercut recess to receive the hook orprojection on the lockin g-lever. The slots are preferably so locatedthat the locking lever or lovers will take into them when the triggerengages the half-cock notch on the hammer.

One or more of these loekin g-levers maybe employed. I prefer two,arranged one alongside of the trigger, and one in the handlestock, backof the trigger-guard.

Under the arrangement devised by me it is not possible after the hammeris once looked to unlock it by an independent movement of either thelocking-lever or the hammer. Both must be operated simultaneously toproduce any result.

In illustration of my improvements, 1 have represented in theaccompanying drawings a revolver embodying my invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the same, with the butt andlocking-mechanism in section. Fig. 2 is a perspective view on anenlarged scale of detached parts, in which my invention is moreparticularly comprised.

The pistol, in all other respects save those that will be hereinafterparticularly described, is of ordinary or suitable construction.

In the position shown in Fig. l the ham- The trigger G is represented indotted lines in mer A is down. B is the mainsprin Fig. 1. a is thehalf-cock notch, and b the full-cock notch. D is a locking-lever, shownmore fully in Fig. 2, which lies alongside oi the trigger, vibrates onthe same axis, and is acted on, if desired, by same spring 0, althougheach device may have its own sprin g, if desired. The spring serves topress the upper end of the lever against the periphery of the hub of thehammer. Pro ecting from this end of the lever is a projection or hook,d. Below the hooked end of the lever, a distance about equal to thatwhich separates the upper end of the trigger from the haltcock notch, isa slot, 0, of a size to admit the hooked end of the lever. This notch,at the junction of its bottom and upper side, 1s undercut or recessed,as shown at 1'.

Under this arrangement, when the hammer is drawn back to half-cock, thehooked end of the lever will fall into the notch c, and by the time thetrigger rests in the half-cock notch the hook or projection 01 will haveentered the undercut recess f. \Vhen the parts are in this position thelever will be maintained in place by the pressure of both trigger-springand mainspring, and it will be impossible, without drawing back thehammer and pressing the exposed end of the locking lever simultaneouslyto unlock the hammer. If desired, a notch, 9, maybe provided for thelocking-lever, corresponding to the full-cock notch for the trigger.This latter notch has no undercut recess, and consequently thelocking-lever can be readily withdrawn therefrom by pressing itsimultaneously with the trigger.

I have shown a second locking-lever in the butt or stock. Either levermay be used alone, but I prefer to use both jointly, for greatersecurity. This second lever is indicated at D. It has a hooked end, cl,which operates in connection with a notch, c, and undercut recess, f,and with a notch, g, in the same way in which the lever D operates, asalready described. The lever D differs a little in arrangement fromlever D. It works through a guide-piece, h, near its front end, and atits rear is hinged or pivoted at t' to a slide-block, E, having tonguesj which move in grooves k, fixed in the butt of the pistol. To the frontof this slide'block is fixed a knob or button, Z, that projects outthrough the butt 0r handle. The block is pressed. forward by a spring,m, and consequently tends to hold the hooked end of the lever againstthe hub of the hammer with a yielding pressure. By pressing on the knobZ the slideblock will be pushed back, thus causing the retraction of thelever from the hub of the hammer. This lever operates in the same way,and with the same result, as does the lever D. The two levers are soplaced that they are under the hand when the pistol is taken hold of,and are naturally pressed back when the weapon is being cocked.

It will be understood, as before stated, that either lever can be usedto the exclusion of the other; and that my invention is applicable, notonly to pistols, but to all varieties of fire-arms.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. The lockin g-lever provided witha squareshouldered hooked end, tooperate in conjunction with a square-shouldered notch and undercutrecess in the hub of the hammer or cook, substantially in the manner andfor the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a fire-arm with the hammer cooking and releasingmechanism, of a hammer whose hub is formed with a squareshoulderednotch, having an undercut recess, as described, and a locking-lever,formed with a square-shouldered hooked end, bearing against theperiphery of said hub with a yielding pressure, and adapted to engagesaid notch and undercut recess at the times and in the manner set forth.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto signed my name this 5th day ofFebruary, A. D. 1875.

DANA Gr. HADLEY.

Witnesses:

EVARTS W. FARR, E. O. STEVENS.

